The difference is that work pays you and you are free to choose a different job/business/employer and if you are highly paid (or work on your skills to become highly paid) you are able to save money and not have to work at all for a certain period of time and live off savings.

School is a prison you're forced to go to, are not paid and are typically not able to change schools like you would change jobs (you could potentially go to a private school, but that would depend on your parents having and willing to spend the $$$).